Project Awards

Community Planning Excellence Celebrated Across Florida

Housing, trail, conservation projects earn top honors in APA Florida’s 2026 Project Awards

The Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA Florida) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Project Awards, showcasing the very best in community planning across the state. Additionally, two standout student projects will also be honored.

Presented annually at the Florida Planning Conference, the APA Florida Project Awards highlight outstanding planning initiatives that improve the quality of life in communities across Florida. These projects represent best practices in planning, conservation, development, and public engagement.

“The outstanding work of this year’s award recipients underscores how essential planners are to shaping communities across Florida,” said APA Florida President Allara Mills-Gutcher, AICP. “Each day planners tackle a wide range of challenges on behalf of our residents. As a reflection of those efforts, these amazing projects that reflect the depth and impact of our profession are celebrated.”

APA Florida Awards Committee Chair Lara Bouck, AICP, PE, said: “The Project Award winners this year feature pioneering policy frameworks, comprehensive plans, and implementation projects, highlighting creative approaches to solving some of Florida's most pressing challenges while setting new standards for excellence in the profession.”

The Project Awards recipients will be recognized during the Opening Plenary Session on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at the 2026 Florida Planning Conference in Miami.

This year’s recipients are:

Best Practices

Award of Excellence: Workforce Housing Program Monitoring Project
- Recipient: Palm Beach County Planning Division
Award of Merit: Tampa City Council Redistricting 2026
- Recipient: Plan Hillsborough
Award of Merit: Wellness Way Area Plan
- Recipients: City of Clermont, Lake County, GAI Consultants

Comprehensive Plan (Large Jurisdiction)

Award of Excellence: Envision 2045
- Recipient: City of Ocoee
Award of Excellence: Vision 2050 & Orange Code
- Recipient: Orange County

Implementation Project

Award of Excellence: City of Coral Springs and Habitat for Humanity - A Public Partnership
- Recipients: City of Coral Spings, Habitat for Humanity
Award of Merit: Park Avenue & Market Plaza Redesign Project
- Recipient: City of Lake Wales
Award of Merit: The Upper Lake Lafayette Trail
- Recipient: Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency (Tallahassee)

Neighborhood Planning

Award of Excellence: East University Avenue Choice Neighborhood Plan
- Recipient: Gainesville Housing Authority, City of Gainesville
Award of Merit: Sulphur Springs Neighborhood Action Plan
- Recipients: Ayres Associates, City of Tampa

Student Project (Group)

Award of Excellence: Evaluating Critical Lands for Strategic Regional Conservation
- Recipient: FSU Mark and Marianne Barnebey Planning and Development Lab
Award of Merit: UF x LaVilla
- Recipient: University of Florida

Past Winners

2025

Neighborhood Planning

Award of Excellence: Midtown Implementation Plan (Midtown Stakeholders Committee [Tallahassee])
Award of Merit: Bethune Park Master Plan (Hillsborough County)

Best Practices

Award of Excellence: City of Orlando Quick-Build Program (City of Orlando)
Award of Excellence: Vision Zero Central Florida Initiative (MetroPlan Orlando)

Implementation Project

Award of Excellence: The Port District Master Plan and Pioneer Park (City of Port St. Lucie)
Award of Merit: Downtown Sebring CRA Pedestrian Safety & Lighting Enhancement Study (AtkinsRéalis)

Grassroots Initiative

Award of Excellence: Hillsborough Community Air Monitoring Network (Hillsborough TPO)
Award of Merit: History and Culture Trail (Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency [Tallahassee])

Planning for All Ages

Award of Excellence: Ready, Set, Orange (Orange County)

Student Project (Group)

Award of Excellence: City of Newberry, Downtown Development Proposal (University of Florida)
Award of Excellence: Planning Solutions for Hillsborough County’s Future (Florida State University)

Student Project (Individual)

Award of Excellence: Tiny Homes: An Innovative Housing Solution to Combat Homelessness A Policy Plan (Mariella Overdorff, Florida Atlantic University)

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2024

Best Practices

Award of Excellence – Southside Action Plan (City of Tallahassee)
Award of Excellence – Heritage at Risk (Miami-Dade County)
Award of Excellence – Lake Wales Envisioned (City of Lake Wales)

Implementation Project Award

Award of Excellence – Southwest Greenways and Debbie Lightsey Nature Park (City of Tallahassee)
Award of Merit – Southport Turning Notch Expansion (Broward County | Port Everglades)

Grassroots Initiative

Award of Excellence – Building a Network of Citizen Planners in Florida (1000 Friends of Florida)

Comprehensive Plan (Large)

Award of Excellence – Mobility Section of the City of Tampa Comprehensive Plan

Comprehensive Plan (Small)

Award of Merit – City of Punta Gorda Comprehensive Plan 2045

Innovation in Planning for All Ages

Award of Excellence – 20 is Plenty: Residential Speed Reduction Study (City of Jacksonville)

Student Award

Award of Excellence – Four Points (University of South Florida)
Award of Merit – Enhancing Regional Transportation Planning in Rural Areas (Florida State University)

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